Fighting for love

Chapter 40

Nolam woke up feeling dizzy. He sat on the bed, his head in his hands, for a while. He needed to pee. He stood up and dragged his feet to the bathroom.

Once he was done, he showered and brushed his teeth. He felt more human after.

He was about to leave the bathroom when he noticed small lacerations on his forearms.

What happened yesterday! He wondered as he stood there a while, trying to remember the events of the night.

His mind was blank, apart from the usual poker night and the huge amount of alcohol he consumed.
He shrugged and went to get dressed.

He noticed that Clytia wasn’t in the room. Probably in the kitchen. He walked to the kitchen to find it empty. He needed a cup of coffee to wakeup completely. Everything after he came back home was a bit of a blurred. He remembered sitting in front of his bedroom.

He turned the machine on, then drunk some water. When his coffee was done, he took the cup and sat at the kitchen island. As he was drinking his coffee, more pieces of the night came back to him.

Clytia’s face. She seemed annoyed. He smiled at that. Maybe he should be more careful with his alcohol consumption. She was far from impressed when she found him on the floor.

He took another sip when Clytia’s face full of tears flashed in front of his eyes, making him frowned.

Why did she cry? What happened?

As if summoned by his thought, she appeared in front of him.               

Nolam’s jaw dropped as well as his coffee when he saw her.

Her chest was covered with bite marks and bruises around her neck and arms.

Everything came back, like a hurricane, devastating and horrendous.

How he had manhandled her.

How he had turned into everything he despised and had hurt the woman he loved.

His heart missed a beat as he slowly raised his eyes to meet hers, red, puffy and full of hatred.

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He was speechless. He opened his mouth and then closed it like a fish out of water.

One last look full of scorn from her and she walked upstairs, leaving him shocked.

He had done that to her.

He started pacing back and forth, his hands running wild in his hair.
Oh my God! What have I done? What am I going to do for her to forgive me?

“Shit!” He yelled at himself before running upstairs. He barged into the room. He heard the shower running. He was on edge. The way she looked at him earlier! He felt like shit.

He stood there, waiting for her. When she got out of the shower, she simply ignored him and went to the dressing room.

“Honey!” He tried with a small voice, following her in the dressing room.

She didn’t replied. He looked at her getting dressed, underwear, jeans and a shirt. She then grabbed a bag and started to fill it with her things. His heart was beating faster as he watched her making her baggage. He didn’t know what to do.

“Cly!” He tried one more time. But she remained mute. Nolam walked slowly and stood behind her. He looked at the marks on her skins, the marks he had made. Her shoulders were tensed. Her movement mechanicals, almost like a robot.

He took a deep breath and started. “I am so sorry! I don’t know what…”

He stopped mid-sentence. Nothing could ever justify what he had done. But he couldn’t lose her. He raised his shaking hands and touch her shoulders.

However, she turn around and pushed him as hard as she could, making him stumble, few steps back.

She was livid. Her whole posture was defensive, with her shoulders squared, her head held high and her fist clenched. She was fuming. She pointed a menacing finger towards him and spoke for the first time, her voice low and deep, almost too calm.

“Don’t ever touch me again!” She let out, glaring at him, before resuming her task.

“I am sorry. Please …”

“PLEASE!” She interrupted him, screaming and facing him, her now finished bag on her shoulder.

“What did you do yesterday when I was the one begging you to stop? How many times I cried and said please? You don’t get to stand there and say sorry!” she finished and walked past him.

“Honey! Where are you going?” He asked hot on her trail. She kept on walking and grab one of the car keys on her way.

Nolam started to panic. He couldn’t let her go like that. He run and stop right in front of her. Blocking the way. He fell on his knees and grabbed her waist, his head on her stomach. He felt ashamed. He was the one crying now.

“Please Clytia! Please. Forgive me. I’ll do anything you want me to. I… I. I don’t know. There is no excuses to my actions. But please. I love you...”

She slapped him. “Let go of me!” She said through gritted teeth before pushing him on the floor and heading to the door.

Right before opening the door, she turned around to face him and yelled.
“Look at me Nolam! Look at what you did!” She said indicating the bruises on her.

“I am a dark skin woman, do you realize the pressure you have to apply to leave bruises on my skin? You hurt me. You forced yourself on me! You FUCKING raped me! You don’t get to stand there and cry when you did THIS to me! You don’t get to say you love me! I am done with you. My lawyer will contact you for the divorce!”
And with that she turned to the door.

“CLYTIA!” He begged one more time, making her pause, her hand on the handle.

She opened the door and stop dead on her track when her eyes met the shocked eyes of Janice, her mother-in-law.